Limb support



March 18 1924.

B. H. KAMP LIME SUPPORT Filed Nov. 1, 1922 M m W m WITNESSES 4 TTORNEYS Patented Mar. 18,1924;

UNITED STAYES BERTHOLD H. KAI/[1, OF SANGER, CALIFORNIA.

LIME SUPPORT.

Application filed November I '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERTIIOLD H. KAMP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Sanger, in the county of Fresno and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Limb Supports, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to limb supports such as adapted to be used for supporting limbs of fruit trees by wooden. props.

An object of the invention is the provision of a simple and reliable support constructed of a single strand of steel wire which may be readily attached to a prop and maintained in position by cooperating means forming an integral part of the limb support.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a limb support which is con structed of a single strand of steel wire and so bent as to provide not only a limb engaging means but a clamping and penetrating means which are adapted to engage the pole and maintain the limb support in a fixed position on said pole.

Other objects and objects relating to details of construction will be hereinafter described.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my limb support shown in operative relation with a limb and a pole.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same mounted in position on the pole.

Referring to the drawings, the limb support is formed of a single strand of steel wire bent intermediate its ends to form a loop 1 with the portions 2 and 3 of the legs carried in parallel relation to form an upstanding member A. The legs are bent at an angle as shown at 4 to form a seat for the limb of the tree shown in dotted lines,

Beyond the parallel portions 2 and 3 and the angular portion 4, the legs are eX- tended across each other with the leg 2 curved upwardly at 5 whereby the parallel. portions 6 and 7 are located in the same horizontal plane. The portions 6 and 7 of the legs are spaced from each other and adapted to embrace the pole 8 and form a clamping member B for firmly gripping the sides of said pole.

In order to form the parallel portions 1, 1922. Serial No. 598,374.

(land 7 of the legs the legs are bent outwardly as shown at 9. The portions 6 and 7 of the clamping member B are bent inwardly as shown at 10 and intimately twisted to form a supporting arm 11. This arm is bent upwardly at an angle to the clamping member B and is adapted to engage in contiguous relation with the rear edge of the pole 8.

The free ends of the legs beyond the twisted portion 11 are bent inwardly with their ends sharpened to form barbs 12 and 13 which are adapted to be driven into the pole.

When the pole 8 is placed in proper p0sition relative to the limb of a fruit tree, the limb support, after having been placed upon the pole 8 with the clamping member B embracing opposite sides of the pole, is moved to a position on the pole where the seat C or limb engaging member of the support engages the limb. The barbs l2 and 13 are forced into the pole 8 by means of a hammer or other instrument suitable for the purpose.

It will be seen by my simple and compact limb support that said support may be readily positioned on the pole 8 for supporting a limb and be maintained in position not only by the clamping member B of the support but by the barbs 12 and 13.. The supporting arm 11 engaging the rear edge of the pole will likewise cooperate with the bars and the clamping member for maintaining the support in rigid position with the pole 8. Furthermore the clamping member is capable of being placed upon poles of various dimensions since the memiers 6 and 7 of the clamp'B may be moved apart for the purpose. Since those portions of the legs which cross each other at 5 are movable relative to each other they permit of more or less expansion of the members 6 and 7 of the clamp.

Any number of the limb supports may be positioned on a polefor supporting any number of limbs at various heights along the pole. It is only necessary to equip the pole with a sutlicient number of limb supports and move them relative to each other by extending the clamping members 6 and 7. These clamping members are readily expansible by pressure on the parallel portions 2 and 3 of the loopand since the legs cross each other at 5 movement of the portions 2 and 3 of the legs toward each other lengths the bent 1p portions being intimately twisted, the free ends 01 the legs being bent inwardly and provided with sharp points forming barbs adapted to penetrate the pole, with the parallel portions of the legs embracing the pole in clamping relation, the herbs and the clamping parallel portions cooperating to maintain the limb support in position on the pole, the inwardly bent portions and twisted portion of the legs adapted to engage the pole to relieve strain on the barbs. L

BERTHOLD H. KAM'P. 

